Prof. Francis is the Director of the Department of Insect Function and Evolution, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech，University of Liege, Belgium, the Director of the Research Institute for Agricultural Sciences and Curator of Wallonia Insect Resource Conservation and Insect Museum. He is also a visiting professor of IPP. Prof. Francis and his team mainly work on the interaction between insect and environment and has done good work in proteomics of aphids, metagenome, biosynthesis pathway of aphid alarm pheromones and the co-evolution of aphids and thesymbionts.

Prof. Chen Julian in Wheat Insect Pests Group of IPP and Prof. Francis have cooperated for more than 10 years in the areas of chemical ecology of wheat and vegetable insects and green control technology of insect pests based on the principles of complementary advantages and mutual benefits and win-win collaboration. The collaboration achieved several technological breakthrough and established novel cooperation model that combines science innovation and postgraduate education. The two parties of the collaboration jointly published 34 academic articles and contributed greatly to the progress of the agricultural science and technology in China.

In 2015, 50 foreign experts from 21 countries received the Chinese Government Friendship Award. The award ceremony was held in the Great Hall of the People on September 29. Vice Premier Ma Kai handed the award to Prof. Francis personally. On September 30, Premier Li Keqiang and other state leaders met with the award winners in the Great Hall of the People.
 

By Wang Lixia
lxwang@ippcaas.cn